


Notches

by fightforyourwrite



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Real World, Bridgeport, College AU, Connecticut - Freeform, F/F, Historia being Historia, Lovables Ladies, Mina being a dork, Silly Girls - Freeform, University AU, Yale University
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-08
Updated: 2015-03-08
Packaged: 2018-03-16 20:48:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3502292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fightforyourwrite/pseuds/fightforyourwrite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Time put a notch in itself when a political science major from Yale crossed paths with a busker on the Bridgeport streets.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Notches

**Author's Note:**

> Crack pairing, I know. But don't knock it 'till you've tried it.

Historia's dorm room was considerably small, but since she herself was noticeably tiny as well, she didn't really mind. But Historia did have a small rule to her place; refrain from inviting guests.

There was only so much sitting room, with her bed and single desk chair being the only possible options, and on a more logical note; no one would ever have a reason to come to Historia Reiss's dormitory.

There were only a few things Historia ever did; wake up, go to class, work her shift at the Dietrich Tea Shop, and study in either her dorm, the library, or that 24-hour cafe on campus. There was nothing more intertwined into the fabrics that made up her current life.

It was very possible for her to reach out to people; she could smile through anything, gleam at anyone, and do everything to make sure that everyone was happy.

Historia knew she was capable of it, but for some reason, she didn't. She could throw her bitter being and melancholy mindset in a heart beat, and be that kind of girl high school boys would dream of. Her degree of control over her actions and feelings was prominent, but she refused to use it.

So she would remain placid, plain, silent, and still. No one would ever want to visit her, or spend their free time in her presence.

But there was one exception to that belief, and that one exception sat in Historia's dormitory on a weekday afternoon.

As Historia sat on the floor with her back against her twin-sized bed, Mina Carolina laid her head in the blonde girl's lap, eyes closed peacefully as Historia kept her nose stuck to her political science textbook.

Words had not been uttered between them for the last few moments, as Historia focused on her studies while Mina let her mind slowly drift into dreamland. But sometimes, Historia would reach down and stroke Mina's hair, or sometimes play with the girl's pigtails. Sometimes, Mina would take Historia's hand randomly and plant a kiss on it. And other times, Historia would let one arm hang freely; Mina would hold onto it.

The gesture was random, but Mina found plenty of comfort in cuddling the blonde girl's arm.

She was weird like that, Mina Carolina was. She was odd enough to stand out to Historia just a little bit, yet, logical and honest enough to never cross the fine line that separated 'quirky' from 'manic.'

Mina liked to sing, she played guitar, and she hated being anything but herself. Her voice was confident, spunky, and always ready to speak.

She was so outgoing and cheerful, a near opposite to Historia.

Sometimes, Historia would wonder why Mina was with her. They met months ago, back when Historia left her dorm for once and travelled off of Yale's campus. She took a train to Bridgeport that day, not a single goal in her mind, yet, with the belief that visiting the town was the only thing she wanted to do on that particular day.

Mina was a busker playing by a random city corner. Her tips were small, but her voice was strong. She hadn't a care in the world when she strummed her guitar and sung, and admittedly, Historia envied that sense of carelessness.

Out of all the street corners in Bridgeport that Historia could have walked passed, she walked passed the one where a pigtailed girl was playing guitar for extra cash. Her eyes were pale and lifeless, even as she enjoyed Mina's tunes.

When Historia dropped a dollar into her case, Mina noticed her bothered state. She asked if she wanted to talk about it and Historia shrugged. She asked if she wanted to talk about it over a cup of coffee and Historia agreed.

A single coffee date in a downtown cafe was where time put a notch in itself, and decided to mark this as the time that Historia Reiss's life would go down a different path. Mina and Historia chatted by a window seat, and things like life and school were the topics of conversation. Historia spoke about her studies at Yale, and Mina replied about her own experiences at a local community college.

Historia talked about her days where she would be shipped off to boarding school while her father did his duties at state senator. Mina would reply about her experiences going to a public high school in a town as generic as the clothes in a clearance rack.

The date passed, but the interaction continued. Historia never believed that it would, but somehow, the pieces of their relationship fell into place after that one notch in time was created.

One piece was Mina making 'Queen Historia' a contact in her phone, and another was Historia convincing Mina to buy a book by in the university bookstore the first time Mina visited Historia and Yale's campus.

It was like that notch in time was mapped out from the start, an expert cartographer, or even an experienced geographer tasking themselves with everything.

From the late nights Historia spent texting Mina about some russian film she watched illegally from the internet, to the indie music recommendations Mina played whenever they hung out and insisted that she and Historia dance to, and even to the times Mina hopped on the train and came to Yale's campus.

The first time Mina came to Historia, she was a little intimidated by such an elite university's campus, but was still as confident as ever. They had a drink in a campus bar that night and slept in Historia's dorm afterwards, laying together on her bed in a coordinated entanglement of limbs. The dorm was cold, but Mina commented that Historia was surprisingly warm.

The second time Mina came to Historia, the political science major was studying in the library. For a while, Mina roamed the shelves in curiosity as Historia worked on her assignment. Afterwards, the library closed, and Historia ultimately had to cease her studying. She and Mina spent the rest of the evening together. Mina couldn't stay the night this time, but they walked around the campus, sat on the quad, snapped photos on Mina's polaroid camera, drank tea at a cafe, and watched the sunset before Historia escorted Mina back to the train station.

Mina kissed Historia 5 times on their visit. The first when she met up with the blonde girl in the library, the second on the quad, the third for a polaroid picture, the fourth when they watched the sunset, and the fifth at the train station, when Mina claimed that she 'needed one for the road.'

The present afternoon was the first time Mina came to Historia in the middle of the day. The pigtailed girl had a half-day at work and decided to surprise Historia; whom specifically told her girlfriend that she would be studying that day, but apparently, that detailed appeared to be lost in translation.

Historia could not leave her dorm, but Mina didn't mind. Historia never asked for Mina to leave her alone to work, so instead of hopping back on the next train to Bridgeport, she chose to stay.

As Historia studied, Mina either laid on her bed, played on her computer, or wrapped her arms around Historia from behind and tried to read with her. Historia considered asking Mina to make a coffee run, but part of her knew that Mina didn't come all the way to Hartford just to be a latte fetcher.

Now, she was on Historia's lap, nearly asleep, smiling, and in an undeniable state of grace. Historia herself was busy, thinking, calculating, but yet, happy.

There was a peculiar thing about the presence of someone. There was a chance of it being boring and unnoticed, or lively and fulfilling. Even when none of them spoke, or Mina did all the talking, both of them were happy.

Talking wasn't the only way their relationship would thrive. They expressed their affection in other means; whether it be through the songs Mina would play for Historia on her guitar or ukulele, or through the random kisses they placed on each other during the act of cuddling.

The only sort of romance in Historia's life was a crush on a high school teacher or student here and there, and nothing more.

She wondered if whatever she had with Mina would be like the things she saw in movies.

Maybe she would get the girl in the end and live happily ever after.

Or maybe the tables would turn in the third act and Mina would leave.

Historia was never one of cynicism, but part of her knew that in that particular case, Mina would be the one to end things and not her.

She knew Mina would find out what she was truly like, get bored, and walk away. And she knew that day would come eventually.

In spite of it all, for now, Historia had Mina. Historia had Mina to kiss, to hug, to touch, and to love. She would savour every moment; from every kiss in the midst of a sunset, to every stolen glance in the middle of the day.

Now, Historia sat calmly, her eyes on her book. Mina seemed to be resting peacefully, her eyes closed and her breathing serene.

Moments like this were not meant to last, Historia's tranquility was not destined to last long. And alas, the moment ended when Historia's laptop beeped.

Without thinking, Historia stood up and walked to the corner of the room where her desk was, as Mina, who couldn't adjust to the lack of head support in time, hit the floor.

"Ow…"

"My bad."

Historia sat at her desk and checked her email, skimming over the new message quickly. While she worked, Mina stood up from the floor, rubbing her slightly aching head.

She glanced over to Historia for a brief moment, admiring her focus and work-ethic, but soon, glanced over to Historia's bed. The twin sized mattress proved to be much more comfortable than the floor, or even Historia's lap, when Mina flopped herself down on it.

"Comfy?" Historia asked as she heard the squeak of her bedsprings.

"Mmm-hmm…" came Mina's reply.

"Good for you."

Historia typed on her keyboard a bit, forming a reply to the campus library about the books that were apparently overdue. Her eyes practically burned at the assumption. She didn't need pesky matters like that at that one moment, not at all. All she needed was concentration, focus, and just a little more time to get her studying done.

"You should come over here," Mina suddenly stated.

Historia stopped typing and turned around. Mina was lying on her bed, happily wrapped in the blankets with an effortless grin on her face. Her hair was messy, tousled around here and there. For once, it was out of it's pigtails and flowed onto Mina's shoulders.

"I've got a few more pages to read," Historia responded.

Mina made a pouting face and scooted over to the foot of the bed, sitting with her legs hanging off the edge as she looked towards Historia at eye-level, "Can't you take a break? You've been at this for hours."

Historia considered it. There was a test for one of her classes tomorrow, and a shift at the tea shop after that. But then again, that test was in the afternoon, and her shift was in the evening. She had a morning that was temptingly free, and time that could easily be spared.

The logic and thought were the strongest deciding factors in Historia's choice, but the straw that broke the camel's back laid in Mina; Mina and her absolutely captivating and notoriously charming smile. Her eyes, a pale grey and blue, were bewitching beautiful.

"I suppose a break wouldn't be too bad," was what Historia decided.

A kiss to her lips was what Mina performed.

**Author's Note:**

> There is a chance that I'll try a bit more with this pairing and this particular AU, but for now, I hope you liked what I made so far.


End file.
